Inner City Car Camping

 Unintentional...

pitter patter...I promise you

Has been raining all day- light misty rain- 

you get wet with many soft droplets... you almost stay in the wetness because you feel as if you are breathing under water magically...then reality hits.

Our evening plans were ruined.  The soft mist became heavy rain- mean rain that got you wet just thinking about it.  

We were sitting in line to get gas when I noticed the police men standing under the covering avoiding the downpour.  I noticed them because of the bright yellow vests they wear.  The vests that tell you they are in authority and how they can pull you over if its not your day to drive your car according to your license plate number ending...

Gasp for air in the wetness.  It was friday- we are going to the games at the local high school to support our students.  FRIDAY- our day to not drive- the bright yellow vests threatening a pull over if they see us few feet ahead.   We must get out of this storm to safety.  Which means pull over somewhere and park.  Car is not moving- the yellow vests can't get us.  

Windshield wipes away droplets.  The world spins slower as we try to sneak away from the situation and wish for an invisible coat to put on.  We made it out of the gas station- with no gas and the light on- 

The rain drops seem to pour in slow motion as we hold our breath outa there.  Turn right. Stop. Park.  SAFE.  Lungs fill with air as I notice the sound of the droplits hitting the windshield.  Collecting and falling.  Collecting and falling.  

Now what?  We are powerless to move our car unless we want an $88 fine and impounding of the vehicle overnight.  We must wait until 7:30pm, then we are legal to start the engine.  It is only 5pm.  Husband and I look at each other and laugh. 

 

 Zane is sleeping in the back unaware and not caring of our predicament.  

Rain softens again as we go through our options.  We could get in a taxi and still go to the games.  We both instictavly look around to scope out the safety of the street.  Amount of traffic, business around, people around, only one wall has graffiti...  

our minds run to what happend a few weeks before.  The back window was punched out and they stole our car seat base (piece of plastic! really?!) and the face off of our CD player.  Husband got creative on how to cover up the window so we could drive it around while we are waiting (a month!) for the windshield to be replaced.  

From a scale of 1 to 10, ten being the most dangerous we were probably at a 4.  So we could leave it.

 In the review mirror I see a tow truck.  Both husband and I watch the car parked behind us get towed.  Realization hits we are not allowed to park here.  Hearts beat faster in the same rhythm of the water outside.  As long as we stay IN the car we are allowed to be there.  But as soon as we leave the car- it will get towed.  Sweet.  

So we spend our Friday night doing nothing we planned on doing.  We got to read about Mathew Henry and Jonathan Edwards on our Kindle all cozy like in the car with the rain covering as privacy.

 Zane wakes up to enjoy our inner city car camping with us.  

 Teddy Grahams is part of our dinner as we mentally thank Fellowship Bible Church support team who sent us that sweet Christmas packet of goodies! 

 Excitement an hour later is wearing thin as the rain dwindles.  

 Feed the baby time.  In the car.  still.  waiting... pitter patter.  Cars passing us in the street going somewhere- and we are not.  Yet at the same time we were right where God wanted us.

As the sun sets we talk about still being stuck and more important things.  Reasons why we enjoy being together even when it is not what we set out to do.  Reasons why we were exactly where we needed to be.  together.  

 2 and 1/2 hours later we started the car up and went home.  But really we were already home all evening.